Latch construction for folding ironing boards



P 1953 R. c. MOKINNIE 2,653,399

LATCH CONSTRUCTION FOR FOLDING IRONING BOARDS Filed Dec. 27, 1951 R xTon c. mmmme INVENTOR.

V .CITTOQNEH Patented Sept. 29, 1953 UNITED PA'EENT OFFICE 2,653,399 LATCH CONSTRUCTION non FOLDlZNG IRONING BOARDS Roxton o. McKinnie, Santa Monica, Calif. Amsiimion neeember 27, 1951, Serial No. 263,665

4 Claims. (01. 38-121) rnore detailed object of the present invention is to. provide a latch adapted to releasably secure a pair of pivotally interconnected leg members in any selected one of a plurality of positi 'ns of angular adjustment with respect to so as to -rigidly and yet releasably,

e hte retain the supporting legs of a folding ironing board in that certain position of angular adjustment which enables them to support the ironing board at the working heig'lit'slected by its user,

in -still further detail, it an object of the present invention to provide a two-part latch structure, one part of whichslidesalong one of the weary interconnected legs in response to variation in the angular. adjustment of the legs with respect to each other, and the other part or which is in theiorm of a latch plate carried-by the same one of the legs and extending therealong through the portion of the distance traveled by the slide when the ironing board is being adjusted from one extreme to the other of its possible working heights. Then, a pin carried by thefslide can optionally be engaged in any selected one of a plurality of apertures in the latch plate to releasably lock the legs in that certain position of angular adjustment with respect to each other which will enable them to support the ironing board at a certain working height, Y The number of spacing oi theapertures provided in the latch plate, therefore, determine the range of optional working heights to which the board can be adjusted,

to provide a latch con- Yet another obJect 1s v struction of the general ,charact er indicated, which is characterized by such strength that it is enabled to retain the ironing board at selected working height with maximum rigidity, without, however, impairing itsexceptional easeof operation, both in erecting the board and to whichever working height might be desired, andin collapsing the board for storage during periods of non-use.

The. inventionlpo'ssesses other objects and features of adyantaga'some of which, withtheforegoing, will be set '"forth in the following description of the preferred forms of my invention which are illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. his to be understoodthat I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said drawings and description, as I may adopt variations of the preferred forms within thefscope of my invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is aperspective view o'f a folding iron.- ing board havingthelatch construction incorporating the principles o f fthe present invention operatively -installed ithereupon. I

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan viewof the lower part of one or the supporting legs or the ironing board of Fig. 1, the better to reveal constructional detail of the latch of the present invention. s

Figure '3 is a longitudinal, medial, vertical sectional view, the plane of section being taken upon the line 3+3 of Fig. -2, with the direction of view as indicated. s s I Figure 4 a, transverse, vertical sectional view taken upon the line .;4--4 of Fig. 3, with the dir e mo Vi as im t As illustrated Figure v1, the latch construction of the present invention is designed primarily for use in conjunction with a folding ironing board of the type adapted to be supported working position by a pair of crossed leg members 6 and 1, respectively, pivotally interconnected intermediate their ends as by a transversely extending pivot pin or rod 8 permitting the leg members 6 and l to be adjusted easily and quicklyin any selection positioned of angular relationship with respect to each. other. At their upper ends, the leg members 6 and! are connected to the undersur'face of the ironing board body 9 by any suitable construction, the details of which do not constitute a portion of the present invention, but difierent optional forms of which are disclosed in. the hereina-bove identified pending applications. Suffice it for the purpose of the present disclosure to explain that the upper end of one of the leg members, say the leg .1, isv pivotally connected to the undersurface of the 13 9 whereas the upper end of t'l'ieleg member '5 is connected to the body 9 for pivotal as well as for sl'iding movement longitudinally of the-body '9, thus permitting the legs to be folded upwards into position closely adjacent the undersurface of the body 9 so that the folded board can be stowed within a minimum of space during periods of non-use, or can be swung downwards away from the body 9 to extended position wherein they are adapted to support the body 9 at working height, as illustrated in Figure 1. In the form in which they are illustrated, each of the leg members 8, 1 comprises a pair of spaced rods or tubes, those of the member 3 flaring apart as they extend away from the body 9, whereas those of the leg member converge downwardly from the body 9, thus permitting a substantial three point" support for the erected ironing board the rigidity of which is not seriously impaired by unevennesses in the surface upon which the structure is supported.

Between the converging lower ends of the rods or tubes ll of the leg member 1, an auxiliary rod or tube I2 is rigidly mounted as by rivets or rods I3 and I4 adjacent the lower and upper ends, respectively, of this auxiliary leg member l2. For convenience of terminology herein, this leg member |2 will hereinafter be termed a tube inasmuch as this is its preferred construction. A cross-head or slide, preferably in the form of a collar 2| is mounted for sliding reciprocatory movement upon the auxiliary tube l2; and a pair of links or rods 22 are pivotally connected at one end of each rod 22 to the collar 2| as by a rivet 23 extending through the rod 22 adjacent their ends and through radially extending flanges 2d rigid and preferably integral with the collar 2|. The other end of each of the rods 22 is pivoted, as by a suitable rivet 2G, to one of the rods or tubes which comprise the first-mentioned leg member, the point of attachment of the rod 22 to the tubes 27 of the leg member 3 being closely adjacent the lower end at such distance from the axis of pivotal interconnection between the leg members 6 and 1 that as variation occurs of the angular position of the leg members 6 and l with respect to each other the rods 22 operate to slide the collar 2| along the auxiliary tube i2 forming an integral portion of the other leg member 7. Consequently, by providing means for anchoring the collar 2| against movement with respect to the tube l2, the leg members 6 and i may be locked against pivotal movement with respect to each other in such a manner that they provide adequate, rigid support for the body 9 of the ironing board.

Such anchoring means is conveniently provided in the form of a latch plate 3| of elongated form and preferably of arcuate cross-section pivotally mounted upon the auxiliary tube [2 of the leg member Adjacent its lower end, the side edges of the latch plate 3| are extended in parallel flanges 32 spaced apart far enough to embrace the auxiliary tube |2 of the leg member 1. These flanges 32, therefore, provide facile means for pivotally mounting the latch plate 3| upon the auxiliary tube l2 for locking movement about a transverse axis adjacent the lower end of the leg member a suitable pivot pin or rod 33 being extended through the flanges 32 and through the tube l2 for this purpose. From this position of pivotal mounting of the latch plate 3| upon the tube |2, the latch plate 3| extends upwards along the auxiliary tube l2 overlying that portion of the auxiliary tube |2 upon which the collar 2| is located when the ironing board 3 is supported in any one of its optional working heights. That is to say, the latch plate 3| does not extend throughout the entire length of the tube i2, or necessarily throughout even the entire portion of its length which is traversed by the collar 2| in moving from one extreme to the other of the collars sliding movements along the auxiliary tube when the leg members 6 and l are swung all the Way from their fully collapsed to their fully extended positions. Instead, it is necessary only for the latch plate 3| to extend for only a relatively slight distance beyond the position assumed by the collar 2| when the leg members 6 and 1 are in those respective positions thereof which they occupy when the body 9 of the ironing board is at its lowest actual working height.

The upper end of the latch plate 3| is provided with an upwardly, outwardly flanged lip 36, the sloping under surface of which is adapted to be engaged by the collar 2| and/or a detent pin 37 carried by the collar 2|, as the collar 2| slides downward along the tube l2 and comes into engagement with the upper end of the latch plate 3|. This lip 36, therefore, is capable of develop ing a wedging action, lifting the latch plate 3| in pivotal motion about the axis of its pivot pin 33 and thus enabling the collar 2| and its pin 31 to slide under the latch plate. This co-operative action of the latch plate 3| and the sliding collar 2| automatically occurs as the leg members 8 and 1 of the board are swung downwards from their collapsed position and as they approach their respective positions of supporting the board in its lowest working height.

The latch plate 3| is provided with a plurality of spaced apertures 4| within which the detent pin 3! of the collar 2| is selectively receivable. The latch plate 3|, therefore, serves to releasably anchor the collar 2| in any one of a plurality of optional positions of adjustment along the auxiliary tube l2 of the leg member Under normal circumstances, the weight alone of the latch plate 3| will serve to retain it in position of engagement with the detent pin 31; however, as a precautionary measure, I prefer to provide a spring 42, preferably a flat strip of spring steel bent to U-shaped configuration and interposed between the under surface of the latch plate 3| and the auxiliary tube l2 closely adjacent the pivot pin 33. This spring is so proportioned and arranged that it continually exerts yieldable pressure upon the latch plate 3|, urging it to that position, indicated in full line in Figure 3, in which the detent pin 31 can extend through any one of its apertures 4|, and yet permitting raising the latch plate 3| tothe position indicated in broken lines in Figure 3, in which the detent pin 31 is released from the latch plate so that the collar 2| is free to slide along the tube 2.

It is believed that the manner of operation of the latch construction of the present invention will be readily apparent from the hereinabove description of its constituent parts. Mention should be made here, however, of the extreme east of operation which permits the operator to erect the board from its folded or collapsed position to any one of its several optional working heights and, when desired, again to fold the board to its position which permits stowage within a minimum of space. All that an operator has to do in order to unfold the board and thus make it available for use, is to hold the body 9 in a substantially horizontal position, thus permitting the leg members 6 and I to fall downwards away from the board. As this occurs, the coll r 2! will be slid, because of the action of the rods 22, from adjacent the upper end of the tube 2 downwards toward and into engagement with the lip 36 of the latch plate 31. As hereinabove. ex: plained, 'a'sthis: occurs the. latch plate :31 will}. be wedged. upwards permittin thecoll'ar 2"! and its detent. pin 31' tosl'i'de under the latchplateand further downwards along'thetube f2: until" the detent pinreaches the uppermostpr' the several apertures 41 in' thelatch plate; The" weightof the latch late '31 and thespringlz' wilr'then (ac-operate in forcing the latch piate' downwards to seat the detent pin 3? in that uppermostaperture" 4f, locking the collar 2| against further movement downwards alongthe tube I 2. I Lhe operator may then. set the ironing-board. down on the fioor and its body 9" will besiipported at its lowest elevation. However, in the event'tliat the operator'prefersto use-the boa-rd at'aliigh'er elevation all that-is necessary -is for the" operator to lift the entire structure so that the lower ends of the legs are clear of the supporting floor, and then to raise the lipped end of the latch plate 3! to release the detent pin 31 from the aperture 4| within which it is seated. The weight of the le members 6 and I will then cause them to swing downwards again into position of greater angularity with the under surface of the body 9. This, of course, will be accompanied by further sliding movement of the collar 2i downwards along the tube (2. When the leg members 6 and I reach the position in which the board will be supported at the height which the operator then desires, it is necessary only for the operator to release the latch plate 31 so that its spring 42, and the force of gravity, jointly, will move it back towards the tube l2. If at that time the detent pin 31 is aligned with one of the apertures M, of cours it will become engaged within that aperture, thus effectually locking the ironing board at the height which the operator has selected. However, in the event that such alignment of the detent pin 31 with any one of the apertures 4| does not occur at that moment, of course the latch plate 3! will come to rest upon the upper end of the pin 31. Then only a slight movement of the collar 2| in either direction along the tube I2 will be necessary before the pin 31 will move into alignment with an adjacent one of the apertures 4| whereupon the latch plate 3| will snap into its posi-- tion of engagement and effectually lock the ironing board in selected, working height.

Collapsing of the board for stowage during periods of non-use is most easily accomplished by standing the board, with its leg members 6 and 1 extended on its broad flat end, i. e., with its pointed end uppermost. The operator can steady the board in this position with one hand and, with the other hand, first lift the lipped end of the latch plate 31 until the detent pin 31 is withdrawn from engagement with the latch plate, whereupon the operator can, by pulling the portion of the leg member 1 with which the latch plate 3| is associated toward the body 9 of the board, cause both leg members 6 and I to be folded to their collapsed position.

I claim:

1. A latch construction for releasably locking pivotally interconnected legs in selected degree of angular adjustment with respect to each other, one of said legs including a guide member of substantial length in the direction of the associated legs major axis, said latch construction comprising a slide slidable upon said guide memher, a pin rigid with and extending outward from said slide, a rod pivotally connected at one end to said slide and at its other end to the other of said legs at a location spaced from the axis of said legs pivotal interconnection. whereby said. slide is "caused to move'aicngsaidguiae member when variation occurs in the -ang'ular'ity o'ff'said legs with respect-tn each "other, fand alat'ch platepi'votally eonnecteuitb said g udememper foriocking movement aboutan' axis" extending transvers of the associated" leg' a'nd o'tside the range of movement of said slide, said latch late over.- lying'said guide member andthe face 'ofsaid plate proximal td'said' guide memberbein'gj concave in substantiaifconformity"with the adjacent portion of said" uidememb'er, said latch plate extending along said; guide "memberand. havin a plurality of spaced apertures therein within which {said pinis selectivelyreceivable.

2. g latch construction for releasably locking pivotally interconnected legs in selected degree of angular adjustment with respect to each other one of said legs including a guide member of substantial length in the direction of the associated legs major axis and of circular cross-sectional configuration, said latch construction comprising a collar encircling and slidable upon said guide member, a pin rigid with and extending outward from said collar, a rod pivotally connected at one end to said collar and at its other end to the other of said legs at a location spaced from the axis of said legs pivotal interconnection whereby said collar is caused to move along said guide member when variation occurs in the angularity of said legs with respect to each other, a latch plate pivotally connected to said guide member for rocking movement about an axis extending transversally of the associated leg and outside the range of movement of said collar, said latch plate overlying said guide member and being of arcuate cross-sectional configuration whereby the lateral edges of said latch plate substantially embrace and conceal said collar and said plate presents a shield overlying said collar and guide member, said latch plate extending along said guide member and having a plurality of spaced apertures therein within which said pin is selectively receivable, and a spring interposed between said latch plate and its said associated leg and urging said plate toward that position in which it is engaged by said pin.

3. A latch construction for releasably locking pivotally interconnected legs in selected degree of angular adjustment with respect to each other, one of said legs having a guide member substantially round in cross-sectional configuration, said latch comprising a collar slidable upon said guide member, a pin rigid with and extending outward from said collar, a rod pivotally connected at one end to said collar and at its other end to the other of said legs at a location spaced from the axis of said pivotal interconnection of said legs whereby said collar is caused to slide along said guide member when variation occurs in the angularity of said legs with respect to each other, a latch plate of arcuate cross-section overlying and substantially conforming to the curvature of said guide member, parallel flanges rigid with the side edges of said latch plate adjacent one end thereof and embracing said guide member, and a pin extending through said flanges and said guide member at a location outside the range of movement of said collar, said latch plate extending along said guide member and having a plurality of spaced apertures therein within which said pin is selectively receivable.

4. A latch construction for releasably locking pivotally interconnected legs in selected degree of angular adjustment with respect to each other,

one of said legs having a guide member substan-- tially round in cross-sectional configuration, said latch comprising a collar slidable upon said guide member, a p in rigid with and extending outward from said collar, a rod pivotally connected at one end to said collar and at its other end to the other of said legs at a location spaced from the axis of said pivotal interconnection of said legs whereby said collar is caused to slide along said guide member when variation occurs in the 1 angularity of said legs with respect to each other, a latch plate of arcuate cross-section overlying and substantially conforming to the curvature of said guide member, parallel flanges rigid with the said edges of said latch plate adjacent one end thereof and embracing said guide member,

a pin extending through said flanges and said guide member at a location outside the range of movement of said collar, said latch plate extending along said guide member for a distance less than the range of possible movement of said collar, and an outwardl flaring lip on the other end of said latch plate in position to be engaged and lifted by said pin as said collar approaches said latch plate.

ROXTON C. MCKINNIE'.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Howe Mar. 16, 1945 McKinnie May 13, 1952 Number 

